Traditional communication systems, such as standard and cellular telephone systems, enable verbal communications between people at different locations. Communication systems for hard-of-hearing individuals may also enable non-verbal communications instead of, or in addition to, verbal communications. Some communication systems for hard-of-hearing people enable communications between communication devices for hard-of-hearing people and communication systems for hearing users (e.g., standard telephones, cellular telephones, etc.) For example, a video relay service (VRS) may provide speech to sign language translation services, and sign language to speech translation services for a communication session between a video phone for a first user and a traditional telephone for a hearing user. Conventionally, the audibly-impaired user communicates with a call assistant (e.g., communicating via sign language), and then the call assistant conveys the messages to the far-end user.
An N11 code is a 3 digit number that is set aside by the North American Numbering Plan (NANP) for specified types of services. Callers may dial an N11 code (e.g., 211, 311, etc.) as an abbreviated dialing phone number that allows access to these specified services. For users of a video relay service, unique problems may occur because calls may be routed through the VRS provider to a sign language interpreter to assist with the call. The sign language interpreter may be located at a remote location (e.g., a call center) that is different than the caller attempting to access the N11 services. As a result, if the VRS service were to dial the N11 code for the caller, the specific N11 services corresponding to the location of the sign language interpreter would be called as opposed to the N11 services corresponding to the location of the caller. As a result, VRS providers have not offered most N11 services other than 911 emergency calls to an outside contractor to establish the emergency call. Other N11 services remain unsupported within the VRS environment, leaving the community underserved relative to those who are in the hearing environment.